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CHARLES BAKER ASHCRAFT "BAKER" — USA Lived November 15, 1981 to November 17, 1981 Early-onset Mother's GBS Status: Not tested Gestational Age: 35 weeks Age Harmed: At birth |
On November 14, 1981 I awoke at about 6:00 a.m. when my water broke. I was only 35 weeks along. I woke my husband up and he called my OB. I was supposed to deliver at Upper St. Clair Hospital, which was our community hospital. The doctor told us to go to Magee Women's Hospital instead. I was going to be delivering a little early and it was a good idea to go to a larger hospital with a NICU.
We had just moved to Pittsburgh for my husband's 1st corporate job. Life was good! He had just received his PhD. We were young and so excited! (I was 25 and Rick was 26.) This was our 1st baby. We'd had an ultrasound at a hospital in Texas before we had moved to Pittsburgh. We knew we were having a little boy. Back then it was very unusual to know the sex of your baby before birth. Ultrasounds were only done in hospitals and not all pregnant women got them.
We were very nervous and not prepared. I threw some things in a suitcase and off we went. My labor dragged on and on throughout the day. It seemed to stop and start. At one point the head doctor of the NICU came in my labor room and checked on me. He knew I had PROM but did not suggest antibiotics.
After walking the halls for hours they finally decided to induce me. I had only dilated to 4 centimeters. Moms did Lamaze breathing back then. No one offered me an epidural until about 2:00 a.m. After being on a pitocin drip for hours with nothing for pain I am not sure how I did it. Epidurals were not the norm back then either.
Around the time I got my epidural I had started presenting with a fever. Yet still, no antibiotics were offered. The epidural helped me sleep for a few hours. I woke up around 5:15 a.m. with a strong urge to push. Baker was born at 6:24 a.m. By that time my membranes had been ruptured for at least 24 hours or more. My OB took my hands and let me reach down and help put him on to my stomach. Rick cut the cord. After about 24 hours of labor it was surreal.
There was a pediatric resident in the delivery room because he was early. We didn't know at the time but his cry was not normal. More of a grunting sound than a cry. The resident rushed him out and I caught a quick glimpse of him in his isolette.
We waited in recovery for what seemed like forever! It was a large room full of curtained off areas. Everyone else had their baby with them but us. Finally the resident came and told us our son was very ill. He had an infection. They didn't have the lab results back so they had started him on several different antibiotics. When he was stabilized they would let us come see him.
I was running a fever and felt like I had the flu. I was put on antibiotics too. The next few days were a blur.
He seemed to be much better after 24 hours. Then he took a turn for the worse. I was finally allowed to hold him for the 1st time. He died in my arms around 3:00 a.m. on November 17th. Then they whisked him away. Rick was never able to hold him. I'm SO grateful that they treat loss differently for young parents today.
We had another baby the following year on Christmas Day. Our oldest daughter, Amie. During my pregnancy the only preventative action that was done was a few cervical swabs for GBS. One culture was positive so they put me on antibiotics once. The doctor also stripped my membranes the day before Amie was born. I did not receive I.V. antibiotics during labor. It's amazing to me that my daughter did not get sick.
With my 3rd pregnancy in 1985 we had moved back to Texas. I went to a high risk specialist in Houston, Dr. Bethany Hayes. She had asked Dr. Carol Baker to manage my cultures and be a consultant for possible treatment.
In addition to cultures done at my OB's office I once actually went to Dr. Baker's lab where she was doing her research. One of her assistants followed me to the ladies room with swabs and culture tubes. She'd hand the swabs to me under the door and directed me to do a rectal and a cervical swab.
I remember Dr. Baker requesting mine and Baker's medical records from Magee Women's Hospital in Pittsburgh. We were added to her data. She also determined the strain of the bacteria that had made my little guy so sick.
I had one positive culture during that pregnancy. I was given oral antibiotics and recultured. I also had a penicillin drip during labor.
We had our 4th child, our youngest daughter, Cara in July of 1988. By that time we had moved back to Pittsburgh. I had a new OB there. She did cultures throughout my pregnancy. Fortunately all of them were negative. I did have IV penicillin during that labor as well.
Baker was our only son. All these years later we miss him more than words can say.
It's hard to believe that there is actually going to be a vaccine. It's been a very long wait! I wish it had been there for us. I am grateful that it will be available to my daughters and granddaugters!
— Jan Ashcraft, United States
Jan spoke to labor room nurses at 2 different hospitals in the late 1980's to tell them some of the things that they might look for in an infant presenting with early-onset GBS disease.I heard about the GBS Association through a magazine article. I passed out pamphlets and wrote letters to local OB/Gyn's asking them to make prenatal testing mandatory. We supported the GBS Association with a few donations. I once tried to make pamphlets available for OB Gyn's where I was living. I wanted them to be able to give them to their patients.
We had just moved to Pittsburgh for my husband's 1st corporate job. Life was good! He had just received his PhD. We were young and so excited! (I was 25 and Rick was 26.) This was our 1st baby. We'd had an ultrasound at a hospital in Texas before we had moved to Pittsburgh. We knew we were having a little boy. Back then it was very unusual to know the sex of your baby before birth. Ultrasounds were only done in hospitals and not all pregnant women got them.
We were very nervous and not prepared. I threw some things in a suitcase and off we went. My labor dragged on and on throughout the day. It seemed to stop and start. At one point the head doctor of the NICU came in my labor room and checked on me. He knew I had PROM but did not suggest antibiotics.
After walking the halls for hours they finally decided to induce me. I had only dilated to 4 centimeters. Moms did Lamaze breathing back then. No one offered me an epidural until about 2:00 a.m. After being on a pitocin drip for hours with nothing for pain I am not sure how I did it. Epidurals were not the norm back then either.
Around the time I got my epidural I had started presenting with a fever. Yet still, no antibiotics were offered. The epidural helped me sleep for a few hours. I woke up around 5:15 a.m. with a strong urge to push. Baker was born at 6:24 a.m. By that time my membranes had been ruptured for at least 24 hours or more. My OB took my hands and let me reach down and help put him on to my stomach. Rick cut the cord. After about 24 hours of labor it was surreal.
There was a pediatric resident in the delivery room because he was early. We didn't know at the time but his cry was not normal. More of a grunting sound than a cry. The resident rushed him out and I caught a quick glimpse of him in his isolette.
We waited in recovery for what seemed like forever! It was a large room full of curtained off areas. Everyone else had their baby with them but us. Finally the resident came and told us our son was very ill. He had an infection. They didn't have the lab results back so they had started him on several different antibiotics. When he was stabilized they would let us come see him.
I was running a fever and felt like I had the flu. I was put on antibiotics too. The next few days were a blur.
He seemed to be much better after 24 hours. Then he took a turn for the worse. I was finally allowed to hold him for the 1st time. He died in my arms around 3:00 a.m. on November 17th. Then they whisked him away. Rick was never able to hold him. I'm SO grateful that they treat loss differently for young parents today.
We had another baby the following year on Christmas Day. Our oldest daughter, Amie. During my pregnancy the only preventative action that was done was a few cervical swabs for GBS. One culture was positive so they put me on antibiotics once. The doctor also stripped my membranes the day before Amie was born. I did not receive I.V. antibiotics during labor. It's amazing to me that my daughter did not get sick.
With my 3rd pregnancy in 1985 we had moved back to Texas. I went to a high risk specialist in Houston, Dr. Bethany Hayes. She had asked Dr. Carol Baker to manage my cultures and be a consultant for possible treatment.
In addition to cultures done at my OB's office I once actually went to Dr. Baker's lab where she was doing her research. One of her assistants followed me to the ladies room with swabs and culture tubes. She'd hand the swabs to me under the door and directed me to do a rectal and a cervical swab.
I remember Dr. Baker requesting mine and Baker's medical records from Magee Women's Hospital in Pittsburgh. We were added to her data. She also determined the strain of the bacteria that had made my little guy so sick.
I had one positive culture during that pregnancy. I was given oral antibiotics and recultured. I also had a penicillin drip during labor.
We had our 4th child, our youngest daughter, Cara in July of 1988. By that time we had moved back to Pittsburgh. I had a new OB there. She did cultures throughout my pregnancy. Fortunately all of them were negative. I did have IV penicillin during that labor as well.
Baker was our only son. All these years later we miss him more than words can say.
It's hard to believe that there is actually going to be a vaccine. It's been a very long wait! I wish it had been there for us. I am grateful that it will be available to my daughters and granddaugters!
— Jan Ashcraft, United States
Jan spoke to labor room nurses at 2 different hospitals in the late 1980's to tell them some of the things that they might look for in an infant presenting with early-onset GBS disease.I heard about the GBS Association through a magazine article. I passed out pamphlets and wrote letters to local OB/Gyn's asking them to make prenatal testing mandatory. We supported the GBS Association with a few donations. I once tried to make pamphlets available for OB Gyn's where I was living. I wanted them to be able to give them to their patients.
To learn more about Perinatal & GBS Misconceptions, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of Preterm Labor, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of GBS Infection, click HERE.
To learn more about Why Membranes Should NOT Be Stripped, click HERE.
To learn more about How to Help Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep (GBS), click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of Preterm Labor, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of GBS Infection, click HERE.
To learn more about Why Membranes Should NOT Be Stripped, click HERE.
To learn more about How to Help Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep (GBS), click HERE.